SPARK Early Literacy Program
Malcolm was 9 years old and falling behind. For him, school was quickly becoming a daylong ordeal of confusion, non-clarity and misunderstanding. More than that, he felt picked-on, made-fun-of and teased by his classmates.
Why? Because Malcolm was in the third grade and could not read.
Even worse for Malcolm, studies show that children who cannot read by this age start to lose interest in school, give up on their education and start down a path that can lead to drugs, gangs and jail. In fact, many states include elementary literacy rates as a factor in forecasting future prison rates.
Fortunately, Malcolm's future is bright thanks to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee's wildly successful program to reach struggling readers. It's called SPARK, and it has put Malcolm, and hundreds of kids like him, on the path to success in school and life.
The SPARK Early Literacy Program brings literacy into all spheres of a child's life: home, community and school. It starts in classrooms throughout Milwaukee. Children ages 6 to 9 are selected by their teachers for the program. During the school day, these children then participate in one-on-one instruction or small group tutoring sessions with an Early Literacy Instructor. Approximately half of these SPARK tutors are AmeriCorps members, who are serving their community while earning a stipend and an education award.
That's not all, however. These children receive free membership to their local Boys & Girls Club. At the Club, the children receive additional mentoring and take part in literacy games and fun activities. More than that, the participants start to understand that reading is more than a school subject; it's a necessary skill to succeed in one's community and life.
SPARK even reaches children in their homes. Through family fun nights and its family book bag program children develop a passion for reading in all areas of their life.